The Royal Wager

by Kristi Gold

  She lifted her chin a notch. “In one of the top programs in the country.”

  “Then I would say you could handle our hospital clinic.”

  “I’m sure I could.” Now for the nitty-gritty. “And the pay?”

  Marc leaned forward, bringing with him another trace scent of cologne. “If we come to an agreement, I would be willing to match whatever salary you were making in the States.”

  “Believe me, my salary barely enabled me to make ends meet. Long hours, low pay. I still have some student loans to take care of.”

  “I could at least double it,” he said. “More if necessary.”

  This deal was getting sweeter by the minute. “Why would you do that?”

  “Because we are in need of good doctors. And after all, we’re old friends.”

  “Lab partners,” she corrected. “I never really considered us friends.”

  He leaned back, but kept his eyes fixed on hers. “Why is that, Kate?”

  “That’s fairly obvious, considering you’re a king and I’m, well, me.”

  “But when we knew each other before, I wasn’t a king.”

  And she’d been far removed from royalty. She still was. “No, you were a prince. I was never all that comfortable around you because of that.”

  “Do I still make you uncomfortable?” he asked in a deep, deadly voice that held both challenge and temptation.

  Very. “Not really. I’ve had interviews before. I consider this opportunity an adventure.”

  “Then I’m to assume you’re looking for adventure?”

  “And a job.”

  “We have the job covered. So what type of adventure are you looking for, aside from your career?”

  The question hung in the air for a time until she finally said, “I’m not sure. Do you have any suggestions?”

  The dark look he sent her said he probably had plenty. “Unfortunately, Doriana is a rather sedate place in July. But if you’re here during the winter season, you could take advantage of our ski resorts. We have some challenging slopes, if you’re not afraid to attempt something that could be deemed dangerous.”

  Now why had that sounded like an invitation to sin? “I’ve never tried skiing, but it sounds like fun.”

  “I wouldn’t object to teaching you as repayment for what you taught me. I doubt I would have passed biology had it not been for you.”

  She certainly wouldn’t object to anything he wanted to teach her. “Are you good?” Great, Kate. “At skiing, I mean.”

  His eyes seemed to grow even darker, effectively dispensing the last of Kate’s calm. “Yes.”

  “I imagine you’re probably very good at everything you do.” Imagined it in great detail, she did. “Aside from biology, that is.”

  “I would imagine the same applies to you, Kate, considering how well you handled me during that first year.” She made a shaky one-handed sweep through her hair. “Funny, I don’t remember handling you at all.”

  He assumed an almost insolent posture, his gaze now centered on her lap where she ran her fingertips up and down her purse strap. “Well, if you had literally handled me, I would not have forgotten, I assure you.”

  If he only knew how many times she’d imagined “handling” him in her wildest fantasies. How many times she had imagined this moment when they were again face-to-face. How strongly she was reacting to him on a very primal level.

  Following a brief span of tense silence, reality finally drilled its way into Kate’s psyche. She could not let him get to her again. Not this time. All those years ago, she had fallen hopelessly in love with him, knowing he could never feel the same—a mistake she didn’t dare repeat.

  But that was then, and this was now. She had matured beyond the point of having puppy-love crushes on unattainable men. She had only fond feelings for Marc DeLoria.

  Okay, maybe fond wasn’t a good assessment. She was unequivocally ready to jump his aristocratic bones. But she wouldn’t.

  Marc DeLoria was a dynamic king, a magnetic man. And from all news accounts, he was also a rounder, a rogue and one of the world’s most notorious playboys. She needed to remember that—even if she was still seriously attracted to him, whether she wanted to be or not.

  Kate tried to appear nonchalant when her overheated body was anything but unfazed by his continued perusal. “Anything else you need to know about me?”

  “There is something I would like to do with you, if you’re not too tired from your trip.”

  Her heart rate did double time. “What would that be?”

  “Show you the hospital, as soon as I change into something more appropriate.”

  Darn. For a split second, Kate had hoped he was going to propose something more exciting. “I would really like to see the facilities.”

  “And I see no reason why the position could not be yours if you so choose.”

  She frowned. “Just like that?”

  He rubbed a hand along his shaded jaw. “Frankly, you’ve already been highly recommended by the hospital’s administrator. Our meeting is only a formality.”

  “I’ll definitely consider your offer,” she said. “But first I’d like to take a look around and make sure it’s the right place for me.”

  “Speaking of that, do you have a place to stay?”

  “I have a room at the St. Simone Inn.”

  “You should stay at the palace as our guest. You would be much more comfortable here.”

  No, she wouldn’t. Not with him occupying the same castle, even if it did have a hundred rooms, which she suspected it did. “I appreciate your hospitality, but I would prefer the inn.”

  “Please let me know if you change your mind.” His voice had the appeal of hot buttered rum, rich and warm going down.

  “I sure will.” Her voice sounded a little too down-home with a too-high pitch.

  After a brief knock, a stout, gray-haired woman breezed into the room with a tray of tea and cookies. She kept her eyes averted as she served Kate first.

  Marc declined the tea, but after the woman retreated, he took one of the treats and held it to her lips. “Try the rollitos. They’re Spanish cookies, one of my two favorite indulgences.”

  She wasn’t sure she could swallow. “Really? What would the other be?”

  Marc’s smile arrived slowly but it quickly impacted Kate’s control at the first sign of his deep dimples. “A person should be allowed to have a few secrets, Kate. Even a king.”

  Kate bit into the cookie but she didn’t taste a thing. Considering Marc’s overt sensuality, she suspected he had a lot of secrets. She also suspected his other favorite indulgence had nothing to do with food and everything to do with his desires as a man. A man who was much too tempting for his own good. For Kate’s own good.

  Since his days at Harvard, Marcel DeLoria had spent almost eight years seeing the world and its wonders. For the past nine months, he had seen what it was like to have every molecule of his character examined as if he’d been placed under a high-powered microscope, not on the proverbial throne. But in all his experiences, he had never seen anything quite as surprising as the woman sitting across from him in the back seat of the Rolls-Royce.

  Years before, he’d known her as a shy, intelligent student who had hidden behind too-big clothing and owl-like glasses, not the confident, stylish woman she had become. He admired her self-assurance as much as her physical conversion. And he definitely needed to quit admiring her altogether lest she catch him in the act.

  As they continued through St. Simone en route to the hospital, Marc turned his attention to the quaint, colorful shops lining the cobblestoned streets. Streets practically void of automobile traffic, yet heavy with tourists and locals who had stopped to watch the motorcade pass. Would he ever grow accustomed to such spectacle? Probably not.

  At times, he longed to walk among the villagers as an ordinary man, stop by the bakery and pick up his second-favorite indulgence—in terms of food—éclairs. At times, he craved putting on his o
ld college sweatshirt and jeans to join in a game of rugby with the local team. At times, he wished he had never been born into royalty.

  “This town is incredible, Your Highness.”

  The soft lilt of Kate’s voice brought his attention back to her, brought to mind more of Marc’s recollections of their time together. He remembered being enamored of its quiet charm—a southern accent, she had once told him. But he had never viewed her as more than a friend. And somewhat of a savior. Had it not been for her, he might never have finished that first grueling year at Harvard.

  She pointed out the window. “What’s that building over there?”

  Against his better judgment, Marc moved to the seat beside her, maintaining a somewhat comfortable distance. “That is St. Simone Cathedral. My parents were married there.”

  She turned her incredible green eyes on his. “It’s beautiful, all that stained glass.”

  “I tend to take the village for granted,” he told her, striving for casual conversation when what he wanted to do with his mouth had nothing to do with talking.

  “I guess that’s understandable,” she said. “Beauty is easy to overlook if you face it on a daily basis.”

  When she turned back to the window, Marc decided she was very beautiful as well. He supposed many would view her as merely cute, with her upturned nose, graced with a slight spattering of freckles, her rounded face, not the more striking, sharper features common among what some considered the world’s greatest beauties. But her large eyes—a near match in color to the pines blanketing the Pyrenees—and her chestnut hair falling about her shoulders, were very pleasing attributes, in his opinion.

  Although he tried to tear his gaze away from her, Marc found himself taking another visual excursion. The tailored lavender silk suit she wore fit her to prime perfection, showcasing a pair of elegant legs that would garner any man’s attention. She was relatively small—small hands, small feet and best he could tell, not endowed with ample curves or breasts. But he’d always believed that some of the best things in life came in small parcels. He imagined Kate was no exception.

  Even though he shouldn’t, he saw her as attractive woman that he would like to know much better. Perhaps eventually in the tangle of warm satin sheets—not in the cold confines of a college laboratory. But that was impossible.

  As much as the man in Marc desired Kate Milner, the king that he had become prevented him from acting on that desire. He must remain strong in light of his need to be taken seriously as his country’s leader.

  Still, it would be very easy to press the button on the console, raise the windowed partition separating them from the driver and Nicholas, and allow some privacy away from prying eyes.

  A fantasy assaulted him then, sharp as shattered glass—images of sliding his mouth up her delicate throat, working his way to her lips and engaging her in a provocative kiss. In his mind, Kate would be receptive to his affections, encouraging him onward as he slipped his hand beneath the hem of her skirt, moving up, up until he touched her, first through damp silk, then beneath the barrier so he could experience her heat. He would tempt her with his fingers, tantalize her with his mouth and endeavor to make her moan, make her want him inside her. He would gladly comply without regard to who he was or where he was. Without consideration of the consequences. He would make love to her until they were both sated, if only temporarily…

  The vehicle came to an abrupt halt, effectively splintering the images but not the results of Marc’s journey into a wicked fantasy. He was hard as slate below his belt and could do nothing to hide his predicament short of grabbing a handful of ice from the built-in bar and shoving it into his lap. He only hoped that Kate would not notice before he had a chance to compose himself, and that his dress coat would amply conceal his sins once they exited the car.

  Marc straightened his shoulders and assumed his royal demeanor while continuing to battle a strong desire for Kate Milner that made absolutely no sense. He wrote the libidinous stirrings off to a lengthy celibacy—a situation born out of necessity due to his brother’s tragic death that had thrust Marc into the role of reluctant ruler.

  He adjusted his tie, tugged at his collar and sent Kate a polite smile. “It seems we have reached our destination.” And not a moment too soon. Otherwise, he might have forgotten who he was and what he lacked—a life he could call his own. A life that had no room for courting women, stealing kisses and touches or forbidden fantasies.

  Seeming not to notice his discomfort, Kate glanced out the window at the simple two-story building. “It’s a very nice hospital.”

  Marc detected a hint of disappointment in her tone, aiding somewhat in his body’s return to decency. “It’s very small and admittedly somewhat lacking in modern equipment. But I’m determined to remedy that soon.”

  Health care was of the utmost importance, not only to Marc but also to his people. Doriana needed better facilities, more doctors. Had the hospital been modernized, Philippe might still be alive, and Marc would still be feeding his wanderlust instead of attempting to prove himself.

  Kate offered an understanding smile. “These things take time.”

  Marc couldn’t agree more, but he felt as if he were running out of time.

  When Nicholas opened the door, Marc took Kate’s hand and helped her from the car. Her slender fingers cradled in his palm spurred another random fantasy that involved another pleasurable touch. How could he continue to be around her and still maintain control?

  On sheer willpower alone.

  But after Kate slid from the limo and his hand came to rest on her lower back, contacting the delicate dip of her spine encased in silk, Marc’s willpower went the way of the wind, replaced by an instantaneous shock to his senses—one that he had to disregard in order to save face.

  He focused on the substantial crowd that had gathered, held at bay by a contingent of bodyguards. As always, he was forced to play the royal role with a regal facade and an official smile. Kate paused at his side when he stopped to shake the hands of a few subjects. The crowd voiced their pleasure with applause and several women pointed, but not at him. They were pointing at Kate, whispering behind their hands.

  Marc realized all too late that they mistakenly believed Kate to be his current paramour, understandable since he again had his palm firmly planted on her back.

  Marc took a much-needed step away from Kate, but not before he was joined by Dr. Jonathan Renault—resident hospital irritant—who had worked his way through the chaos.

  “Good day, Your Majesty,” Renault said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

  Marc did not trust the man, and even less so when Renault blatantly assessed Kate from forehead to toes. “Good day, Dr. Renault,” he said with strained civility.

  When Marc tried to usher Kate away, Renault stopped him cold by saying, “Je voudrais faire la connaissance de votre nouvelle petite amie.”

  Petite amie. A direct intimation that Kate was Marc’s mistress. And to add to his total lack of propriety, he’d had the nerve to request an introduction.

  In another time, in another place, Marc would have gladly punished the bastard with a slam of a fist into Renault’s prominent jaw. But Marc’s title prevented what would be considered a crude, common act. Crude, yes. Common, yes. Unjustified? Not in Marc’s opinion.

  “For your information, Dr. Renault,” Marc began, an intentional trace of venom in his tone, “this is Dr. Katherine Milner. She is a very skilled physician, and quite capable of managing the entire clinic by herself.”

  Although Kate looked somewhat confused, Renault didn’t appear at all affected by the pointed comment. Instead, he sent Kate a seamy smile and took her hand. “Enchanté, Dr. Milner. I would be happy to have you join my staff.”

  Kate quickly pulled out of his grasp, giving Marc great satisfaction. Obviously she recognized the lecher beneath the lab coat. “Nice to meet you, Doctor,” she said with little enthusiasm.

  Renault winked. “And I will look forward to
seeing you again.”

  With that, he strode away with a self-important lift of his pointy chin and a swaggering gait.

  Kate leaned over until her lips were practically resting on Marc’s ear. “What did he say to you?”

  “Keep walking.” Marc took her by the elbow and continued on to the hospital entry. Once they were on the steps, he lowered his voice and said, “He suggested we are lovers. A totally absurd assumption, but then Renault is somewhat lacking in restraint.”

  Yet Marc wondered if something in his own demeanor, the way he had looked at Kate, the way he’d touched her so casually, had encouraged the speculation, not only in Renault but also in the minds of his people.

  If that were the case, he would have to be more careful from this point forward. He could not allow anyone to believe that he had taken Kate Milner as his lover, even if he longed to do that very thing.

  Two

  An absurd assumption…

  Up to that point, Kate had allowed herself to imagine she was a real, live, honest-to-goodness princess greeting royal subjects with her prince, who’d kept touching her as if he wanted everyone to know she was his.

  King, she reminded herself. A man who was obviously the object of desire to women of all shapes and sizes. A man who could have his pick among any woman in this village, probably in the world. She would never be among them. This wasn’t a fairy tale, and this particular monarch wasn’t interested in common Kate Milner.

  But Dr. Renault had certainly seemed interested, and that consideration made Kate cringe. The guy gave her the creeps.

  None of that mattered. She was here on business, not to worry about some dubious doctor with “I want you” written all over his face. Not to get caught up in some overblown for-ever-after fantasy involving a king who thought the idea of being her lover was absurd.

  Forcing herself into professional mode, Kate followed behind Marc as they made their way to the hospital’s entrance where two guards remained posted. When they entered the building, she was pleasantly surprised by the modern interior. The practically deserted waiting room, filled with contemporary chairs and tables as well as a television suspended from a stand in the corner near the ceiling, was much larger than she’d expected.